Lead Finance Specialist - Accounting Operations (Inventory)

Job description

Job Description Summary Job Description Position Summary The Product Cost Controller is responsible for the financial integrity and strategic governance of standard costing for the EPF Belfort, Bourogne and Hungary manufacturing operations. This role serves as a key financial partner, driving the annual cost-setting process through rigorous data validation, variance analysis, and internal control oversight. The successful candidate will ensure that all product costing activities align with global accounting policies, SOX compliance requirements, and business strategy, providing critical financial insights to leadership during the annual standards setting and quarterly correction cycles. Key Financial Responsibilities Strategic Financial Planning & Governance: Lead the end-to-end annual standard cost lifecycle, ensuring alignment with corporate financial planning, COE guidance, and controllership directives. Establish clear roles, responsibilities (RACI), and timelines. Cost Simulation & Analytics: Execute iterative simulations of material and labor roll-ups. Analyze YoY variances and identify drivers of cost fluctuations, ensuring data integrity in the ERP environment. Cost Quantification: Manage the quantification of mixed-source materials (Internal purchase vs. 3rd Party-subcontracting), ensuring accurate cost assignment for subcontracted service. Master Data Governance: Oversee the integrity of critical part lists, ensuring that internal feeds, Bill of Materials, and data inputs for calculation proposed new standard prices are properly mapped and reconciled. Internal Controls (SOX): Maintain strict adherence to SOX requirements; schedule and lead formal validation reviews with site leadership to ensure the validity of final published standards. Audit Readiness: Act as the financial point of contact for internal/external audits, providing documentation and facilitating annual reviews. Quarterly Performance Management: Conduct 1Q deep-dives and post-cycle corrections; maintain the financial integrity of the system through structured workflows. Validate financial impact of Standard Cost update booked by ERP. Operational Analytics & Reporting: Act as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) in key supply chain and financial processes related to smaller sites' inventory and standard costing, closing, and reporting. Lead obsolescence inventory and FIFO revaluation planning and pacing, presenting results to the site finance leader. Virtual Support for Physical Operations: Provide remote or optional in-person financial oversight and analytical support for physical inventory cycles, ensuring that local counts reconcile accurately with system data and that adjustments are processed in alignment with corporate financial standards. Required Qualifications & Skills Bachelor’s degree in accounting, Finance, or Business Relevant finance experience , preferably within manufacturing or supply chain environments Knowledge of accounting principles and inventory-related processes (US GAAP preferred) Experience using ERP systems (SAP, Oracle or similar) Familiarity with digital analytics or automation tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI) Strong attention to detail and ability to manage deliverables independently, ability to present results and escalate issues to leadership Fluent English communication skills, both written and verbal What will make you stand out Prior experience in inventory or supply chain finance Ability to identify process inefficiencies and suggest improvements Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills Experience in cross-functional collaboration within global organizations Project management skills Additional Information Relocation Assistance Provided: No